Minecraft Diaries: A Guard's Tale
by BiM24
Summary: A mysterious man has appeared outside the gates of Phoenix Drop unaware of who he is or where he came from. (These events take place after MC Diaries S2 Ep.82. Any thing beyond that point will be my custom story.)
1. Chapter 1

_This is a custom story based off of Minecraft Diares. It connects with the most recent episodes that have been released so far. From hear on, no future Minecraft Diares references will be made, just past episodes. This first chapter is also shorter than the rest will be, but that's just because it's just getting everything introduced. Everything else will be longer. Minecraft Diares and any characters affiliated with Minecraft Diares are owned by Aphmau._

 ** _Mincraft Diares: A Guard's Tale_**

 **Chapter 1**

?'s POV

"Where am I?" I said to myself. I made my first steps onto the grassy plains. There were large, towering, oak trees surrounding me as I looked around. I couldn't remember anything for some reason… I was just…. There…. And I couldn't explain why. All I could remember was my name.

Katelyn's POV

I decided to take a walk outside the walls of Phoenix Drop, just to make sure that Tu'la forces had not decided to invade. "It's so… peaceful…" I said to myself, brushing past the leaves of a low hanging tree. Unfortunately that hadn't been the case recently within the walls. Garroth had just came back from the Irene dimension… And Aaron…. He gave his life to get him back for Aphmau… It's been a week, and nobody has been the same since then. Especially Aphmau. "If only I had been there for her..." I thought to myself. "If only I had seen what was wrong before all this…" Just then I saw something in the woods. A man. "A spy from Tu'la?" I thought. No. He was unarmed. And if this was a spy, he'd be better hidden than this. Still, I couldn't be too sure. I snuck into some bushes to observe.

?'s POV

I turned my head looking around and I saw something cowering in the bushes. It almost looked like… It is. A woman. She had beautiful long blue hair and wore lightweight combat gear. Wait… Combat gear. Maybe she was dangerous. She definitely looked like she could hold her own. But she's the only person I've seen out here. Come to think of it, she might the only person I've seen at all as far as I can remember. Despite the suspicions I have, I start walking up to her, hoping she doesn't decide to threaten my life. "Hello?" I say to her, "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure where I am or what I'm doing here. Is there a village or town somewhere nearby?" She just looks at me for a moment. Silence took over the area as the both of us stood there. Still unsure of her intentions, I prepare myself for any hostile act that might come my way. I never really learned how to fight, at least I can't remember if I did, but that wasn't going to stop me from defending myself.

Katelyn's POV

He looked over at me. It was obvious now that he had discovered where I was. I readied myself for an attack. It was to late to run. But he just stood there for a second. He looked just as concerned as me. He broke the silence and advanced very slowly towards me.

"Hello? I'm sorry but I'm not sure where I am or what I'm doing here. Is there a village or town somewhere nearby?"

He still looked tense. Maybe he was afraid I was going to attack him. The way he spoke was sincere, and his voice sounded truthful. "Yeah…" I said after a long silence. "We have a small settlement not far from here, Phoenix Drop." It was obvious now that he wasn't anyone to worry about. Still I wanted to keep an eye on him, just in case.

?'s POV

"If you want an escort there, I'd be willing." She said finally. She didn't sound hostile, in fact she seemed to have almost calmed down completely.

"Thank you." I said with a sigh of relief. At least now I knew that I could trust her.

We began walking through the thick, shaded forest. Everything around us looked so beautiful and green. It took a while for me to notice, but we eventually found our way onto an old, mossy cobblestone path. "It's so beautiful here." I said to myself.

"It used to look better than this." She said, responding to my quiet remark. I looked over at her confused. We approached a large gate as she continued, "Fifteen years ago this place used to be a thriving village. Everything was so peaceful and everyone was living normal, happy lives." We passed the gate as we walked and came up on a bridge, leading into the remains of what looked like a small village, just like the girl said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Time." She said sternly. "And without our lord around watching over the place, the village just disbanded over time."

 _The lord?_ I thought to myself. "So I'm guessing that this is, *ahem*, was Phoenix Drop?" She turned at me with a fire suddenly burning in her blue eyes.

"This IS Phoenix Drop! It never fell in the first place!" She shouted. I stumbled back. Obviously those weren't the right choice of words there. We both stood in silence for a second, then the girl realized her outburst and calmed down. "I'm sorry…" She said quietly. "This is still Pheonix Drop, but it's just kind of a small settlement now." She suddenly started to laugh, "Haha, but it wasn't near as bad now as it was a few weeks ago."

"So you're rebuilding it?" I asked.

"Slowly, but yeah it's getting there." She answered quite pridefully. We walked on until we came near to another, smaller gate.

"So,' I said, 'could I ask your name?"

She turned at me and stared. It was a concerning glare and it made me feel a bit un easy. But then she gave a kind smirk and answered, "I'm Katelyn. How bout' you?"

"I'm Dan."

"Well, Dan, welcome to Phoenix Drop."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Dan's POV

The ruin's of the old Phoenix drop didn't look anything like what was inside the inner gate in this small settlement. It was lively, peaceful. There were a few village natives there but they were full of glee whenever they talked or even passed on another. I began to walk through the entrance when I was suddenly stopped by a sword, held up pressing on my neck. I froze as I adjusted my eyes to my side where a female knight glared angrily at me. _Oh great_ , I thought to myself, _Are all the women around here this hostile?_

"Who are you? Identify yourself!" She grunted.

"Alexis, stand down!" Yelled Katelyn suddenly. "He's here with me. I found him in the woods and he needs some help."

The girl's look immediately went from hostile to a rather pathetic look of guilt and sorrow as she looked over at Katelyn. She then turned at me with wide eyes and drew back her blade. "I'm so, so very sorry!" She said in a much softer and elegant voice than before. It took me completely off guard. One second she's got a sword to my neck willing to end my life right there, and the next second she turns into this sweet innocent girl who looked like she wouldn't hurt a fly. "If I had known you were with Katelyn, or even seen her with you, I wouldn't have been so threatening." She continued with her head now looking at the ground. Looking at her now she seemed to be very young. Very young and very naive.

"Ha ha ha. I see you're still learning to think before you act, huh Alexis?" All three of us looked to see an older knight walking towards us. His hair was… Strange. It was a solid blue color that matched his kind looking eyes. His armor was worn and tattered, but he was obviously a knight of higher ranking than either of the two girls.

"Oh, Dante!" Alexis said surprised, "Sorry, I was just trying to be safe."

 _Safe?_ I thought. _Safe from what? Was there something out there I didn't see or know about?_

This "Dante" knight spoke forgivingly towards her, "It's alright. It's actually better you stay safe with visitors. With Tu'la close by we can't be too careful."

 _Tu'la?_ I continued to myself, _What's going on around here?_ "*Ahem* I'm sorry,' I said finally, 'but could I please get an explanation of what the heck is going on here?"

Katelyn walked over beside Dante and they both looked at me. They looked shocked, as if they never really expected me to say anything. "Right, I'm sorry about that." Said Dante, "I'll lead you into town. For now welcome to Phoenix Drop."

I started to become a little impatient. "Yes I know, I've been welcomed already, but could you please tell me who you guys are? I don't care if it's on the way, just explain!"

His look went from kind to one of suspicion. He glared at me for a second. It was obvious he didn't take to kindly to my tone. "You'll get your answers,' he said finally, 'but understand that we're not so trusting of you yet. Finding a stranger right outside our gates when larger forces have been taking over this land isn't exactly normal." He went on, "So if you want us to help you, then you better not get on our bad side, otherwise we'll consider you a possible enemy." He turned, walking inside of the small town. He motioned me over to him, and then said something else, "And believe me, that's the last thing we want to do to anyone."

We continued through the settlement until we reached a small well. The well seemed to mark the center of a plaza. Dante had explained that he and those girl knights were actually guards. He also explained that there were a few more of them around as well, but he also said that Katelyn, the guard I met in the forest, was actually not one of Phoenix Drop's guards. "She used to be," he went on, "but fifteen years ago she went off on a…. Journey… with the former lord of this town as well as a few others."

"Former lord?" I said, confused, "Did something happen to him?"

"Her," he corrected, "And no, she's fine."

"So how come 'She' isn't lord anymore?" I continued.

"Well…' he said with a sigh as he rested against the well, 'Fifteen years passed and she didn't come back during that time. So, her son, Levin, took over as lord and he's lead Phoenix Drop ever since." He paused for a second, and chuckled. "Then, about a month ago, she and everyone came back." His smile suddenly turned into a frown. "Well… almost everyone."

We both fell silent for a moment. "So…" I began, "Is he… Gone?" Just then it occurred to me that that might not have been the right question to ask at that moment.

"No." He said softly, "He's back now." There was something wrong with how he said it. "But…" he went on, sullenly, "We lost someone while getting him back. Someone very close… Close to her." He finished.

"Who?" I asked, "Was he a guard like you?"

"He wasn't a guard at all. He was much more than that." Dante and I both shot our heads to the side at the unfamiliar voice. Or at least, unfamiliar to me. The voice came from a blonde haired man wearing what seemed to be fairly normal village attire. His look was stern. He continued on, "He was by far the bravest, most honorable man I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." As he continued, small tears began to well up in his eyes. "He sacrificed EVERYTHING, to get me back! In doing that, he rid this world of the worst possible evil that has ever existed, and he gave his life in doing so."

"Garroth." Dante said suddenly.

The blonde haired man wiped away his tears and regained his composer. "I'm sorry," he said with a smile. "I didn't mean to go off like that.' He turned to me, "I'm Garroth, former guard of Phoenix Drop." He put his hand out.

"I'm... Dan," I said repeating the motion to shake his hand.

"So Dan,' He said kindly, 'where are you from? Anywhere near here?"

All of the sudden I wasn't sure what to tell him. The other three guards already thought it suspicious that I was just outside their walls. I told him, though I wasn't sure he'd believe me. "I don't know where I'm from." Garroth and Dante stood there. Garroth looked confused, but Dante looked more suspicious than when he did back at the front gate. I went ahead and continued to explain, "As far as I know that forest out there is the only place I've ever been other than here right now. I'm not sure who I am, where I came from, or why I was even in that forest anyway." I paused. Unknowingly, broke from their gaze and looked at the ground. For that moment I felt a slight emptiness I don't think I've ever had before… Or have I. Thinking out loud, I finished saying, "All I remember… Is my name..."

"All I remember…. Is my name…"

Garroth's POV

Chills ran down my spine. I wasn't sure why either. I've never known or seen this man before in my life. Yet I believed him. His voice was honest in what he spoke, but when he stopped, his stern and confused look turned to one of sorrow, distress… Emptiness. Just then I noticed Katelyn walking over to where we were. "Katelyn," I called, "Please take Dan to Levin. Let Dan tell him his situation, and tell him to trust what he says."

Katelyn gave me a questioning look, but nodded in agreement. "Come on Dan."

When she took him to Levin's house, Dante turned and whispered to me, "What are you doing? We have no idea who he is, Garroth! Don't you find it a little suspicious that he happened to be outside our walls and then 'claims' that he has no idea who he is or where he came from?'

"I did at first." I responded, "But then I took notice of how he presented himself. His tone was honest, sincere. Notice that when he paused, something came over him,' I continued, 'he looked hopeless, lost, like he had lost something dear to him. You also have to remember that Aphmau has no recollection of her past either. When she arrived she was just as lost as she was." He just stared for a second. I could tell he was still a little skeptical.

He spoke up finally. "I trust you Garroth, and I trust your judgement, but keep an eye on him okay? After all that's happened, I don't think Phoenix Drop, the Phoenix Alliance, OR Aphmau can take much more of this."

"I understand." Dante was right. Despite my urge to help this stranger, I have to keep in mind everything that has transpired over the past week. If he does turn out to be one of these Tu'la spies, then we… I need to be prepared. "I'll see you later Dante," I said ready to end this conversation. The last thing I need are more worries plaguing my mind. "I'm going to see how our friend is."

"You be careful, Garroth. Make sure you give my concerns to Levin and Malachi. YOU may trust him, but we still never be too careful."

"Haha I will. Don't worr-"

*BOOM*

"What was that!?"

Dan's POV

The lord, his guard and I both shot our heads towards the window at the sound coming from far away. "Malachi, gather the guards and set out to wherever that crash came from!"

The lord's orders where white noise to me. For some reason I had a strange, familiar feeling. Whatever landed beyond the gates of this small village was calling out to me. "I'm going to." I said. The young leader said something to me, most likely in protest, but I ignored it as I began walking towards the door of the house. "Prepare your men." I said.

Both the lord and his guard looked at each other. "For what? What's coming?"

"I don't know." I responded, "But it's dangerous. I can feel it." Both ran out of the door of the house finding all the active and off-duty guards, while I slowly exited and walked towards the gate. _What the hell am I about to get myself into?_ I thought.

 _*Transition*_

I walked slowly through the forest. The lord and his guards were taking a bit longer than I thought they would have. I kept going, assuming that they would catch up at some point. It was quiet, and there was no sign of any crash or explosion. Then I realized something, it was almost too quiet. I was being watched. Just then I saw small movement from the bushes. I turned and readied myself. "Show yourself!" I shouted. It just then dawned on me that I had no idea what I was going to do. I had rushed into this forest with no armor or weapons whatsoever. From this point on I would just have to improvise. Then a figure emerged from the bushes and then another. I gave a sigh of relief when I recognized the two as Garroth and Katelyn. "My Irene!" I said shocked but relieved, "What the hell were you doing sneaking up on me like that?"

"We're sorry, we didn't mean to startle you." said Garroth. They both walked over to me. "Have you seen anything yet?" He asked me.

"No. I haven't." I began to think out loud. "Which is weird because with an explosion that big, you'd think there would be some kind of crater or something."

"What if it isn't a crater?" said Katelyn.

"What do you mean?" I responded.

"We've seen weird things happen around here over the years. That explosion could probably have come from a magics user."

She was cut off by a voice coming from the trees. "Magics? No, I don't think I would call it that." Everyone got back to back looking around, searching for wherever the voice came from. Suddenly something dropped from a tree nearby. "I wouldn't call it magics, more like… Power." All three of us glared at the ominous figure now slowly walking towards us. "All assumptions aside, it's good to see you again Dan."

 _What?!_ I thought, _He… He knows who I am?_

"What's wrong? You look… Pale? And afraid? I never knew you to have such feelings before brother."

 _Brother!? Who is he?_ All four of us stood there in silence, glaring at each other for what felt like millions of years. I was still in shock to what I had just heard. How could this guy know who I am? How can he call me, "Brother"?


	3. Chapter 3

_Here's chapter 3. It's a little shorter than I had planned it to be, but it's done. I'll try to get started on the next chapter as soon as I can. Any feedback is appreciated._

Chapter 3

Dan's POV

"Brother? What the hell? Who are you?" At this point my mind was twisting itself in every direction trying to figure out what was going on. The stranger suddenly looked at me puzzled.

"Who am I?" He repeated. He gave a small chuckle as a smirk appeared on his face. "Really now brother, you know I don't take well to your little games. Now is hardly the time to be acting this way, especially after so long."

"What are you talking about? What games?" I became more aggravated as I spoke to him, raising my voice. "This isn't a joke, who are you and how do you know who I am!?" His smirk disappeared immediately. It looks like he finally got the message across. Suddenly though a feeling of intense worry came over me. _Was that the right thing to say?_ I thought. If he was the one who caused that big explosion, then I couldn't begin to imagine what he might do to these people. I already have them on their toes with me appearing in their village, now I might have just doomed them.

"So… You really don't remember then…" He managed to say. His tone was… saddening. Maybe he was my brother. I assume if he were lying, he wouldn't have responded that way. "Heh… I guess you sacrificed a little more than just your power."

My power? Everything he revealed to me came at me like a punch in the stomach, but this, beyond him being my brother and losing my memory, hit me in a weird way. I wasn't sure what to feel. It was just so bizarre. Then, I suddenly began to laugh. I laughed hard. "Me? Have power? And then give it up? What is this, some kind of joke? And you expect me to believe that you're my brother too?" I laughed again. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Dan, stop." It was Garroth. In the moment, I had forgotten that he and Katelyn were there with me. "We don't know what he's capable of. If he's telling the truth, and you end up pissing him off, there's no telling what he could do. We still don't know if he's one of the good guys or not." He finished. He was right. Here I was laughing at someone who claims to have all this power, when there's a small settlement full of innocent lives I might have just put in danger.

"You don't need to worry about your friends here or the people in the town nearby, I'm not going to harm them." He said

All three of us stumbled back in fear. This stranger had just… read my mind.

Garroth's POV

 _He just read our minds?_ I thought. He could have been reading our every thought before we even saw him in the trees. I looked over at Katelyn. She had the same expression of terror in her eyes as I probably did. Then I looked over at Dan. Being behind him, I could only see the back of his head, but I could almost sense the fear radiating from him. I wasn't sure what to do. I wasn't sure what I could do. Even if I knew what he was, I would probably be powerless to do anything. Then suddenly I came back to what he said. He said we didn't have to worry, that he wouldn't hurt anyone. Whether it was a good idea or not, I had to speak up. It was the only way we were going to get answers… May Irene help me. "You're not here to hurt anyone. So what does that make you, a messenger, or are you just passing by?" I held my breath as I waited for an answer.

He looked over at me and gave a small smile. "Just passing by. Actually I was hoping to… Never mind, it doesn't look like that's going to happen anyway." He finished.

"What's going to happen?" I asked nervously.

"Don't worry." He said, "It's nothing that affects you or your village in any way."

All four of us stood in silence for a moment. Dan was the first to break the silence. "How did you do that?" I looked over at him, and then the man. He looked back confused, then he looked at me to see if I knew what he was talking about. I knew exactly what Dan was referring to, but I remained silent.

He looked back at Dan and spoke. "How did I do what?" he asked.

Dan hesitated before he spoke again. "How did you cause that big explosion, and leave no trace of it?"

The stranger looked down slightly and began stroking his chin as he thought about the question. It was odd that he had to think about how he had done such a supernatural thing. It almost seemed like he was trying not to acknowledge the event. Then he spoke, "I don't recall causing any explosions. Was there one around here?"

Katelyn then answered him, although her answer was given through burning anger. She must have been holding it back since we came across this guy. "Yes there was an explosion!" she said, exploding in rage, "Why do you think we came out here!" she slowly advanced towards him as she continued.

"Katelyn!" I yelled. I grabbed her by the shoulders trying to hold her back. I then whispered to her, "You need to calm down. The last thing we want to do is piss him off." She glared back at me. Her stare was cold. I prayed to Irene that she would break free of my grip and continue with her rage. Thankfully, she began to calm down. Her shoulders loosened and I let go.

"I'm sorry," she said.

The stranger continued his explanation. "I don't recall an explosion happening anywhere, like I said. I thought that my bro… Dan sensed my energy and was on his way here." He said. His voice sounded honest, just like Dan's when he was explaining his situation to me.

"Then it didn't come from you. So how did you get here?" I asked. The tension in the air seemed to have disappeared now.

He looked at me and smiled. "I teleported." he said casually. Dan and Katelyn's eyes lit up once more. It didn't so too farfetched to me. Lucinda has done her time of teleportation back then, so it struck me as a normal explanation.

Then Dan and Katelyn both looked at me. "Then… What was the cause of that blast?" Katelyn asked quietly. "If it wasn't him…." she paused. I had a feeling I knew what she was going to say next. "... Could it be Tu'la?" she asked.

I looked out towards the forest and thought for a bit. _Could it have been Tu'la?_ It made me wonder if they were more dangerous than we had thought. "I don't know Katelyn." I managed to say. "But… We'll have to go see for ourselves." The thought of seeing or knowing Tu'la had that kind of power sickened me, but we had to be sure. I looked back at Katelyn and she nodded in agreement. I looked at Dan "Dan, since this no longer concerns you, you should probably head back." I said commandingly toward him.

He shook his head, "Sorry, but I'm coming with you." he said sternly, "For some reason I feel like I owe you for believing me back there, even if you don't completely." He looked at me waiting for my response. I could tell that he was going to come with us whether I refused or not.

"Alright," I sighed. I smiled at him, "Let's get a move on." I said firmly.

"I'll come along too." Said the stranger, "Whether or not you trust me makes no difference on my part. You guys look like you could use the help. I can sense a small energy spike from that explosion you said happened a while ago. I'll be a good navigator."

"Fine," I said, "Just don't cause any trouble."

Then Dan spoke up once more, "You two go ahead, there's some business I'd like to address with… our new friend here."

Me and Katelyn looked at him, then each other. Her eyes said not to agree to this, and I could understand why. But for some reason, I felt like this time it would be fine. At least I hoped to Irene that it would be fine. "Alright, but don't fall behind." I said. With that I nodded at Katelyn and both of us ran through the thick, green forest. _Please Irene,_ I thought to myself, _For the sake of Phoenix Drop and Aphmau, please help me know I made the right choice._

Dan's POV

They left us there alone. As soon as I was sure they were far enough I turned to the stranger. I was hesitant to speak, but I needed answers. Answers of who I was. "I don't know who you are," I said to him, "And I don't if I am supposed to know. But somehow… You were right. I did sense your energy. And it is why I came here."

"So there is a bit of you left in there." was all he said.

"Let me finish," I said, "I also may not know who these people are, but they're good people. If you hurt them, I will do everything I can to try to take you down with whatever… Power, I have, whether you're my brother or not."

"Noted." He said plainly.

We stood in silence again. I managed to spout another question at him. "Who am I?" I asked him. "And who are you?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Here it is. Thankfully I got this one done a lot sooner than I had expected. As soon as I'm able I'll get to work on 5. It may be a bit though, cause for the next two weeks I'll be finishing up with school. Next Wednesday will be my last day so that'll leave a bunch of time to write, (at least after graduation). Until then, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. And as always, any feedback is appreciated._

Chapter 4

Dan's POV

"Who am I?" said the stranger, repeating my question. "All I can reveal to you right now is that you are Dan." He gave a mocking smile. I didn't have the patience to be humored at the moment. I wanted answers and the others were already far ahead of us.

"Look." I said annoyed, "I know who I am as far as my name, but I don't know who I am concerning my identity. If you're just going to waste my time, then we'd be better off catching up with Garroth and Katelyn."

"Then we better keep going." he laughed. I glared angrily at him, then turned to catch the others. He stopped me with something he said. "I'll give MY name though." I turned toward him. At this point, I was filled with curiosity. "But only my name, I feel it would be best to reveal myself entirely when you find out more about who you are."

This sounded fair, sort of. It was still hard to trust him when I knew nothing about him. But then I realized something. Garroth, Katelyn, Dante and Alexis were in the same situation I was. I was a complete stranger to them, they know absolutely nothing about me, and thanks to Garroth they're giving me a chance. "Fair enough," I said. Then I hesitated on what I was going to say next, "But… Do I have your word that you tell me everything about you when I find out who I am?" I nervously waited for an answer.

"Maybe," he said, catching me off guard, "Even when you had your memory you knew most of who I am… "Most" being they key word there. There are some things I keep to myself." He said with a smile.

"Then will you tell me all that I did know?" I asked.

He paused for a moment. It was a while before he made up his mind. He was a very mysterious character. I took the time, while he thought, to observe his appearance. His face was almost a pale white, with scars around his eyes and the lower side of his face. Some were old and barely noticeable, and some were fresh that couldn't have happened not a few weeks ago. His armor was almost standard from what I've seen Dante and Alexis wear. It was worn and dented, but the material looked strong and at the same time, very light weighted. He looked more like an experienced scavenger or bounty hunter rather than a warrior. He looked up and caught my attention. "Alright, deal." He stuck out his hand. I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. "Well what are you waiting for," he said, "Shake on it."

I looked down at his hand and then met his gaze again. "What for?" I asked suspiciously.

"I'm giving you my word," he said reassuringly. His smile then disappeared. "I'm letting you know that I will fulfil this promise to you. I may be messing with you in trying to make you work for it, but you're still my brother, whether you remember it or not. And I won't break a promise to my brother… and friend." His words hit me by surprise. I looked down at his hand once more. I sighed. Giving into his story, I shook his hand. He smiled. Suddenly he jumped backwards and a large great sword appeared in his hands. I stumbled back a bit. "Come on," he said calmly, "Let's catch up with your new friends. I'm itching to see where this explosion thing came from!" He began levitating off the ground and flew in the direction where Garroth and Katelyn went. After recovering from what I had just witnessed, I ran in the same direction, trying my best to keep up with him. While I was running, he reduced his speed to match mine and spoke, "By the way, I totally forgot about my name." He said. I nearly laughed when he said that. "My name's Leo," he said. Then he picked up speed again and flew towards our destination.

*Transition*

 _This is getting aggravating._ I thoughtas I continued running through the thick line of what seemed like an endless maze of trees. _I should have seen Leo, Garroth, or Katelyn by now. Everything looks the same in this forest._ I stopped for a bit to catch my breath. "Damn it," I murdered. "How the hell am I supposed to find the others when I don't even know my way around here?" I took a moment to breath again. I've been running non stop for who knows how long now. "For all I know I could be going in circles."

"Hey, Dan!" it was Garroth. Thank goodness, had finally found them.

"Garroth!" I yelled, "I'm over here!" the silhouettes of Garroth, Katelyn, and a flying Leo emerged from the shadows of the trees. They met me as I sat down on a nearby log.

"My Irene, where were you?" said Katelyn gasping for air.

"I think I could ask you guys the same thing." I said.

Leo chuckled as he descended to the ground, "Man, you must be out of shape brother. You used to be much faster than this. Did you lose all your physicality along with your memory?" he said jokingly.

I chuckled back, "You tell me mr. mystery, did I?"

Then Garroth was the one to speak up, "Oh look who's talking, mr. 'who am I'"

The three of us started laughing together. Katelyn was the only one not laughing. Eventually she broke the laughter. "Hey!" she shouted, all of us stopped laughing and looked at her, "Need I remind you all, that we do have an explosion to investigate."

"Oh lighten up, Katelyn." Garroth said smiling, "It's okay if we're have just a little fun." he paused for a moment and his smile disappeared, "But you're right. We do need to hurry." he looked over at Leo, "Is that energy spike still there?" he asked him.

Leo closed his eyes for a second. Then he looked at Garroth again. "Yeah, but it's fading."

"Then let's go!" yelled Katelyn, "We have no time to lose."

"Heh, I like this girl," said Leo. He and Katelyn ran back through the forest.

Garroth chuckled as he stood up. Then he looked at me. "Don't worry about Katelyn," He said, "She just tends to be a little more direct than the rest of us." he held out his hand, offering to help me up. "Come on, we don't want to lose 'em." I nodded as he helped me up. Then both of us ran off in Leo and Katelyn's direction.

*Transition*

The four of us continued running through the forest. None of us spoke to each other since our stop earlier. Leo suddenly broke the silence, stopping us in our tracks. "Wait!" he shouted. We all stood silently. "The energy is coming from here." he said.

"Get your weapons ready." said Garroth as he drew from his scabbard a shining, clear blue diamond sword. Katelyn had done the same, revealing two large battle claws, with long, thin blades on the end of each finger. Leo summoned his sword as he did before, raising his hand and grasping the darker, more ominous looking blade as it appeared above him.

Leo spoke quietly to the three of us, "Whatever's here, it's just beyond those trees."

Suddenly there was a small flash of light beyond the bushes. "Darn it!" there was a voice from where the flash came. It sounded like a girl.

"Wait," said Garroth suddenly, "I recognize that voice." He put away his sword and pushed through the bushes, revealing a girl with orange hair. She wore a black pointy hat and a long, white, and slightly revealing dress. She stood by a small desk with bottles of what looked like different kinds of potions. She seemed frustrated. Then she turned towards us and jumped. Apparently she hadn't know we were there. When I saw her face… I was in awe. She was beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Her eyes were red like rubies, and her long orange hair slid over her face a bit. She was unlike any woman I've ever seen.

She regained her composure when she saw who it was. She recognized Kaetlyn easily, but when she saw Garroth, she was shocked. "G-Garroth?" she stuttered. "Is… Is that really you?" She approached us slowly as she stared wide eyed at Garroth. Had she not seen him for a long time?

Garroth smiled as he emerged from the bushes. "Hey Lucinda," said Garroth, "You're looking well."

 _Lucinda?_ I thought.

Suddenly the girl ran to Garroth and embraced him, nearly suffocating him while doing so. "Oh! My! Irene! Garroth you're back!" she shouted, "How did you return? Are you alright? *Gasp* Does Aphmau know you're back?!" She spoke so fast it was hard to understand what she was saying.

Garroth somehow managed to gather enough air to respond. "Lucinda, calm down. I'm fine. Yes Aphmau know I'm back… but she's dealing with something else right now."

Lucinda let go of him puzzled, "What do you mean? You've been her top priority since she came back! Even Aaron has been doing his best to help!" Garroth lowered his head. He stood there quietly for a moment. "Garroth," She said softly, "Are you okay?"

Garroth clenched his fist and hesitated. It took him a while for him to speak. Something was bothering him. No, more than bothering him, whatever he was trying to say to her, was killing him on the inside. "Lucinda…" he quivered, "A-Aaron….. Aaron is dead."

Leo and I looked at each other. Leo shrugged, hinting that he had no idea what Garroth was talking about. I looked over at Katelyn. Her head was in downcast, her hair covering her face so no one could see the sadness in her eyes. She wasn't doing a very good job at concealing it though, I could feel the amount of despair radiating from her. Lucinda stumbled back slightly, trying to take in what she had been told. "W-what?" she muttered. She didn't seem as sad as Garroth and Katelyn, but rather more surprised. She continued, "How? What happened to him?"

Garroth then looked over at Leo and I, the both of us waiting for an explanation as well. He turned back to face her. "I'll explain everything later, but right now we have more pressing matters to deal with." I couldn't see his face, but he made a gesture with his head towards us. I could only assume that that meant there was something he didn't feel comfortable telling us yet. Lucinda looked over at Leo, then at me. She smiled and winked, and I looked off as if I hadn't noticed. She must have noticed I had been flustered and she laughed. "Anyway Lucinda," continued Garroth, "What are you doing all the way out here? And what was that explosion?"

Lucinda put her hand behind her head, "Oh yeah, that. I was hoping that that wouldn't have been too noticeable." she said giggling. "I've been experimenting with barrier spells for Phoenix Drop. I figured it be better if Zoey didn't have to spend every moment of everyday using her energy trying to protect this place. So I gathered what I could and brought it out here." She gestured towards the work bench with potions scattered all over it and the racks around it.

Garroth broke a big smile, "That's great!" he said, nearly shouting in excitement, "But why so far from Phoenix Drop?" he asked.

Lucinda laughed, "Well as you've seen, it isn't exactly easy to make these kind of spells. If not done right, you could have some unexpected consequences. Hence, the giant explosion." Garroth chuckled and nodded in agreement. Lucinda looked over at me again, "So, who's you cute new friend?" she asked. I looked down and my face felt hot. I can't remember being this flustered before, I didn't like it. I gazed over at Leo. He looked… angry. His arms were crossed and his eyes were full of rage. They were fixed on Lucinda.

Garroth turned to face Leo and I and introduced us to her. "Oh right," he motioned his hand towards me, "This is Dan. Dan, this is Lucinda." She winked and I nodded at her as normally as I could. Garroth then motioned to Leo, "And this is Leo."

She looked at Leo and gave a slight wave. Leo stood there for a few seconds. He still held that raging glare as Lucinda met his gaze. "... Pleasure." He said harshly. Lucinda's friendly look went to worry. The four of us all looked concernedly at Leo. He kept his gaze on Lucinda. None of had had seen him angry yet, so we had no idea what to expect. None of us knew what about Lucinda was angering him so much either.

Garroth broke the tension, "Well," He said rather loudly, "Let's head back to Phoenix Drop. That way we can learn more about you two and hopefully figure things out." Leo fixed his eyes away from Lucinda as he met Garroth. He nodded in agreement and began walking, his eyes still full of rage. Garroth sighed in relief, "Alright," he said to the group, "This way. Phoenix Drop isn't too far from here, so we should be there shortly."


	5. Chapter 5

_Welp, here it is. Chapter 5. This by far was my favorite one to write, despite it being shorter than the other ones. On a side note though, I need you guys to tell me how this story is going. I'll keep writing if it's good or if I don't know, but I'd appreciate it if you guys tell me if it isn't good (within reason) so I can either stop or try to make it better. Trust me, your thoughts and opinions are important to me. Anyway, thank you guys for clicking in and reading my story. And as always, any feedback is appreciated._

Chapter 5

Dan's POV

"Where the heck are we?" questioned Leo as he looked at the tattered walls of the small village.

"This is Phoenix Drop" said Lucinda, "It's a little on the small side, but it's home." she continued as we walked through the main gate.

Leo continued looking around. "It's kinda sorry looking," he answered. Garroth looked back at him as well as Lucinda. I was going to say something to him regarding their care for this place when Katelyn interjected first. She wasn't happy.

"Hey! Listen you, this place is, and always will be, a great and wonderful home to all of us. So if you say anything bad about it, be ready to deal with me!" She growled.

"Katelyn." Garroth said softly. She met his gaze and he shook his head.

"Man," said Leo, "What is it with you guys and getting mad or emotional about everything? You sure know how to pick some good friends here brother," he said sarcastically. I shrugged as he continued. "You all need to learn to lighten up a bit and have a little fun. You're too serious, especially you snowflake," he said to Katelyn.

Katelyn's face turned dark red as her rage built up. "What did you just call me?!" She said gritting her teeth.

Leo sighed, "See, that's what I'm talking about. Too serious. It was just a joke spark plug, now lighten up."

Garroth spoke up before Katelyn could react. "Stop! Please. We're almost to the interior of the village," He began walking ahead, "From there we need to question you two a little mo-" He turned his head and stopped. He was facing a hill with a small purple and white house on it. I had seen it before when Katelyn had first walked me through the town. His eyes were fixed on what looked like a girl. She was beside the house facing an ocean behind it.

I walked up to him slowly. I looked at him, then the girl, then him again. "Garroth," I said, Are you alright?" He didn't answer. "Who is that girl?" I asked trying to get something out of him.

To my surprised, he answered with something I didn't expect him to say. "Someone I haven't talked with for a while."

I looked out at the girl again. _This must be the female leader Katelyn talked about,_ I thought, _But… What did she say her name was?_ I shook off my thoughts and spoke to Garroth. "Well," I said, "go see her."

Garroth turned to me with a surprised look. "W-what? No I-I can't! I can't face her again knowing what I've done." he paused. "I've caused so much pain. To others, and to her. Even if I did see her, I doubt she want to see my face again." He finished

"I mean I've caused a lot of pain to a lot of people, so it'd be pretty easy if you ask me." Leo interjected, chuckling. I glared at him. It seemed to have shut him up for now, but he didn't stop without making a last remark, "What? I'm just saying."

I looked back at Garroth and sighed, "Look, Garroth, I.. can't pretend to know what happened with you two, what you did, or how you're even feeling, but let me ask you, how long have you known this girl?" He looked at me confused. I continued, "What kind of person s she?"

He then looked at the ground and responded, "For as long as I can remember," he answered sheepishly. He stopped for a moment and smiled. "She's a wonderful person." he said, "She's caring, she's sweet, she's hilarious…. And she's the only one before my fellow guards that took me in and accepted me as a friend." He finished

"Oh give me a break!" said Leo

Ignoring him, I continued, "Then I don't see why it'd be an issue. If she cares about you, then you'll be just fine."

Garroth's POV

I looked down at the ground. My mind was spinning with all kinds of feelings and thoughts. Maybe he was right. Maybe I'm just blaming myself too much. But… I've done such horrible things. Things that lead to the death of one of her closest friends. A friend that has apparently helped her when she broke down. A friend that comforted her when she needed it most. And what have I done for her?... Betrayed her because of jealousy, fought my only friends because I let myself be blinded by Zane… No… I've held myself from her for too long now… And… She needs someone right now… Someone to help her through her hurt. "You're… You're right Dan… I should go see her." I somehow gathered enough courage to take even one step toward that hill. One step turned to two, and then I found myself on my way. I looked up at her. _She's so beautiful_ , I thought to myself. _No! None of that now. She needs a friend. My emotions have already caused enough pain already._ I walked up the mossy cobblestone steps leading to her house. I could feel myself becoming more tense as I advanced on each step. When I had reached the top, I saw her there. She was looking out into the horizon, not moving a muscle. Only a few of us had seen her, but none of us had seen her out of her house. I had no idea what she could be thinking or feeling at that moment. Then, without thinking, I spoke up, getting her attention. "... Aphmau…"

She turned slowly. Tears were in her eyes. She looked so exhausted, it was hard to see her like this. "... G-Garroth!" She ran into my arms sobbing. She cried on my shoulder as I held her there. For I while I didn't say anything, I didn't think it'd be appropriate to. Slowly she began calming down. She looked up at me, tears still welling up in her eyes.

It was then I decided to speak. "Aphmau. If it's okay with you, I'd like to talk with an old friend." She nodded as she put her head back on my shoulder. I stood there comforting her until she was ready.

Dan's POV

We all watched as the girl embraced Garroth. I looked down and closed my eyes for a small moment. I smiled as I then turned to face the group and spoke to Katelyn. "So… I believe you guys still have some questions for Leo and I?" Leo looked over at me and shot a small smile.

Katelyn shook her gaze from the hill and looked at me dumbfounded. Then she nodded and spoke, "Yes, we do. Come on, Dante will be anxious to… GAH!" She yelled suddenly.

Leo, Lucinda, and I stumbled back in response to the rather loud shout. "Whoa, what?" I said still in a bit of shock, "What's wrong?"

"Yeah! The hell woman! What could possibly make you want to scream that loud, damn!?" said Leo irritated.

"Dante is still out there with the rest of the guards looking for the explosion from earlier!" she shouted, "I'm going out to find them. Lucinda, make sure you tell Levin were I am. I'll be back as soon as I can!" She bolted off as fast as she could down the worn, stone path. She disappeared after she reached the outer gate.

Leo and I both looked at each other and shrugged. Neither of us knew why it was such a big deal that they were still out there. It was just a mistake after all. But then I remembered something Dante had said when we first met. Large forces were taking over the area around them, called "Tu'la". It suddenly made sense why she would be so desperate to find them. Assuming they ran into these Tu'la forces, it probably wouldn't end well.

I nearly motioned myself to go after her and help, but was stopped immediately by Lucinda's voice. "So you two," she said lightly, "What brings you guys to our little village?" she asked.

"What business is that of yours?" Leo retorted spitefully. Here he goes again with this hostility towards her. She seems like such a nice girl. What could make him hate her so much?

I spoke up before Leo could say anything else. "Well, um… Katelyn actually led me here. I was outside the walls when she found me."

She looked at me confused. "Why were you there?" she asked.

I stopped myself before I answered. "Well," I said, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" she repeated mockingly.

"Eh, I know, it sounds kinda weird. It's hard to explain." I said.

She crossed her arms. From the look of things, I seemed to have sparked her curiosity even more. "Please do. I've got all day." she said.

Leo and I looked at each other. Leo rolled his eyes and sighed. I assumed that that meant I might as well. I looked back at her, "Alright," I said with a sigh, "you might wanna take a seat. This will take a while."


End file.
